Over 800 members of Dublin Fire Brigade have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action to pursue a pay rise comparable to the one offered to gardai earlier this year. However, the fire-fighters do not intend any industrial action in advance of a meeting with employer representatives in the Labour Relations Commission next Monday.
The SIPTU members voted 98 per cent in favour of strike action in the event of "unilaterally-imposed productivity measures".
Dublin Fire Brigade also has responsibility for the emergency ambulance service in the city.
The secretary of the local authority Dublin fire brigade branch of SIPTU, Mr Paul Smyth, said his members had voted for strike action so that they could "respond quickly and effectively" if the management imposed additional productivity measures. However, he said that they still hoped to "expedite a settlement through the normal industrial relations procedures".
Unmarried fire-fighters at entry level currently earn a basic annual wage of £12,705, which climbs to £18,889 when allowances are included. Married fire-fighters at the top of an eight-point scale can earn £29,590 per annum.
While fire-fighters received a down payment of 1 per cent on future productivity in April 1994, like other public sector workers, the current claim is their first under the PCW's restructuring clause. If the claim was to succeed, it would have a knock-on effect for 200 full-time and 4,000 part-time fire-fighters throughout the State.
Fire brigade members have a very similar pay scale to the gardai and have a recognised pay relativity dating back to 1968. Gardai were promised a 9 per cent pay increase earlier this year, which included a down payment on future productivity. The fire-fighters say they have already agreed to 10 of 13 productivity measures proposed by management on the understanding that the measures would count towards a "past productivity" pay increase. They insist that preserving their pay link with the gardai cannot be conditional on extra productivity.
"Further major productivity measures under a past productivity heading would clearly not be acceptable", according to Mr Smyth. "When our pay claim is addressed, we'll sit down and resolve our conflicting views on the development of the fire service in a partnership way. We have no problem with extending the service, but we will not tolerate it being downgraded", he added.
SIPTU represents most of Dublin Fire Brigade's workers, with IMPACT representing about 70.
